State and local law enforcement officials say they've scored another victory in the war on drugs in Berks County.

District Attorney John Adams announced during a news conference Tuesday afternoon the results of an 11-month investigation, dubbed "Operation Tourniquet," which he said focused on the distribution of heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, marijuana and prescription medications by two loosely tied organizations throughout Berks, Lancaster and Schuylkill counties.

Forty-eight people, described by authorities as mid- and street-level dealers and customers, were arrested in a series of raids throughout Berks County early Tuesday morning, following an extensive series of undercover drug buys, Adams said.

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"Today, we send a message to the drug dealers of our community, that we will use every available law enforcement resource to bring them to justice," said Adams.

The investigation revealed that members of both organizations colluded with each other to acquire bulk quantities of illegal drugs, which were eventually broken down into street-level quantities to be distributed to customers.

"It's ruining a lot of lives," said Reading resident David Rios, who was relieved to hear of the arrests.

Members of the district attorney's drug task force worked with Reading police, state police, Berks sheriff's deputies, the FBI and agents from the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office to seize a substantial amount of heroin, as well as marijuana, synthetic marijuana and cocaine, as well as a number of assault rifles, shotguns and semi-automatic handguns.

"This investigation will not stop today," said Adams.

The alleged dealers were identified by authorities as:

Miguel "Mikey" Torres, 33, 500 block Oley Street, Reading. He is charged with one count of corrupt organizations, one count of dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities, one count of delivery of a controlled substance, one count of possession of a controlled substance and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

Hommy Colon, 33, 300 block North Waverly Street, Shillington. He is charged with one count of corrupt organizations, one count of dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities, one count of delivery of a controlled substance, one count of possession of a controlled substance and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

Jonathan Gonzalez, 26, 400 block Elm Street, Reading. He is charged with one count of corrupt organizations, one count of dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities, one count of delivery of a controlled substance, one count of possession of a controlled substance and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

Erick Marrero, 19, 400 block West Oley Street and 600 block Gordon Street, Reading. He is charged with one count of corrupt organizations, one count of dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities, one count of delivery of a controlled substance, one count of possession of a controlled substance and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

Nestor Gonzalez, 23, 300 block West Douglass Street, 600 block Gordon Street and 900 North Front Street, Reading. He is charged with one count of corrupt organizations, one count of dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities, one count of delivery of a controlled substance, one count of possession of a controlled substance and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

Luis Ramirez, 23, 300 block Lackawanna Street, 600 block Gordon Street, and 900 block Scott Street, Reading. He is charged with one count of corrupt organizations, one count of dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities, one count of delivery of a controlled substance, one count of possession of a controlled substance and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

Luis Ortiz, 23, 100 block Rose Street and 500 block Minor Street, Reading. He is charged with one count of corrupt organizations, one count of dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities, one count of delivery of a controlled substance, one count of possession of a controlled substance and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

Daniel Velez, 30, currently in a halfway house in Wernersville. He is charged with one count of corrupt organizations, one count of dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities, one count of delivery of a controlled substance, one count of possession of a controlled substance and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

Jorge Morales-Gasparini, 48, 100 block Rose Street and 500 block Minor Street, Reading. He is charged with one count of corrupt organizations, one count of dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities, one count of delivery of a controlled substance, one count of possession of a controlled substance and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

Jaime Acosta, 34, 1000 block Scott Street, 400 block West Greenwich Street and 700 block Schuylkill Avenue, Reading, He is charged with one count of corrupt organizations, one count of dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities, one count of delivery of a controlled substance, one count of possession of a controlled substance and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

Jacob Rivera, 20, 400 block South 10th Street, Reading. He is charged with one count of corrupt organizations, one count of dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities, one count of delivery of a controlled substance, one count of possession of a controlled substance and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

Edwin Colon, 34, unit block Maple Street, Reading. He is charged with one count of corrupt organizations, one count of dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities, one count of delivery of a controlled substance, one count of possession of a controlled substance and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

Staley Williams, 35, 400 block Sycamore Road, West Reading. He is charged with one count of corrupt organizations, one count of dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities, one count of delivery of a controlled substance, one count of possession of a controlled substance and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

William Colon, 24, 300 block Pearl Street, Reading. He is charged with one count of corrupt organizations, one count of dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities, one count of delivery of a controlled substance, one count of possession of a controlled substance and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

Alexis Arroyo, 39, 1900 block Lorraine Road, Reading. He is charged with one count of corrupt organizations, one count of dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities, one count of delivery of a controlled substance, one count of possession of a controlled substance and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

Daniel Roman, 33, 100 block Oley Street, Reading. He is charged with one count of corrupt organizations, one count of dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities, one count of delivery of a controlled substance, one count of possession of a controlled substance and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

Angel Garcia, 38, address unknown. He is charged with one count of corrupt organizations, one count of dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities, one count of delivery of a controlled substance, one count of possession of a controlled substance and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

Harry Yellets Jr., 54, unit block South Pearl Street, Lancaster. He is charged with one count of corrupt organizations, one count of dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities, one count of delivery of a controlled substance, one count of possession of a controlled substance and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

Maurice Price, 35, 1100 block Wabank, Lancaster. He is charged with one count of corrupt organizations, one count of dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities, one count of delivery of a controlled substance, one count of possession of a controlled substance and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

Victor Brown, 44, 300 block Elm Street and 300 block Minor Street, Reading. He is charged with one count of corrupt organizations, one count of dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities, one count of delivery of a controlled substance, one count of possession of a controlled substance and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

William Cordero, 38, address unknown. He is charged with one count of corrupt organizations, one count of dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities, one count of delivery of a controlled substance, one count of possession of a controlled substance and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

Anthony Ovid, 37, 300 block Hollenbach Street, Reading. He is charged with one count of corrupt organizations, one count of dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities, one count of delivery of a controlled substance, one count of possession of a controlled substance and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

Curtis McNeill, 31, 900 block Washington Street and unit block North Ninth Street, Reading. He is charged with one count of corrupt organizations, one count of dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities, one count of delivery of a controlled substance, one count of possession of a controlled substance and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

Felix Romero-Dejesus, 26, 1000 block Elm Street and 300 block North Fourth Street, Reading. He is charged with one count of corrupt organizations, one count of dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities, one count of delivery of a controlled substance, one count of possession of a controlled substance and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

Mariano Cardona-Torres, 29, 700 block Walnut Street, Reading. He is charged with one count of corrupt organizations, one count of dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities, one count of delivery of a controlled substance, one count of possession of a controlled substance and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

Adam Minngia, 49, 700 block Hillside Drive, Hamburg. He is charged with one count of corrupt organizations, one count of dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities, one count of delivery of a controlled substance, one count of possession of a controlled substance and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

John Doe "Lebanon," age unknown, address unknown. He is charged with one count of corrupt organizations, one count of dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities, one count of delivery of a controlled substance, one count of possession of a controlled substance and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

John Doe "AB," age unknown, address unknown. He is charged with one count of corrupt organizations, one count of dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities, one count of delivery of a controlled substance, one count of possession of a controlled substance and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

The alleged street-level customers were identified by authorities as:

Jessica Sickafus, 24, 100 block Tulpehocken Street, Bernville. She is charged with one count of possession of a controlled substance and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

Ashley Kettering, 24, 4200 block Hill Terrace Drive, Sinking Spring. She is charged with one count of possession of a controlled substance and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

Stephanie DiPietro, 23, 200 block West Walnut Street, Blandon. She is charged with one count of possession of a controlled substance and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

Christina Habel, 22, 200 block Nicole Drive, Reading. She is charged with one count of possession of a controlled substance and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

Chelsea Bell, 22, 300 block South 11th Street, Reading and 1400 block Claire Drive, Birdsboro. She is charged with one count of possession of a controlled substance and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

Keith Becker, 53, 700 block Cocalico Drive, Birdsboro. He is charged with one count of possession of a controlled substance and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

Nikki Swisher, 20, 1300 block Mineral Spring Road, Reading. She is charged with one count of possession of a controlled substance and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

Samuel Stumhofer, 37, 100 block Upland Court, Hamburg. He is charged with one count of possession of a controlled substance and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

Roni Fisher, 30, 300 block Lombard Street, Reading. She is charged with one count of possession of a controlled substance and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

Margaret Murphy, 36, 1500 block Cotton Street, Reading. She is charged with one count of possession of a controlled substance and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

Marie Castro, 40, 200 block Oley Street, Reading. She is charged with one count of possession of a controlled substance and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

Cheuy Francisco, 22, 700 block North 10th Street, Reading. He is charged with one count of possession of a controlled substance and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

Suliman Popal, 28, unit block Laurel Avenue, Birdsboro and 5700 block Jefferson Drive, Exeter, Luzerne County. He is charged with one count of possession of a controlled substance and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

Ellen Waruszewski, 51, 3300 block Rosedale Avenue, Laureldale. She is charged with one count of possession of a controlled substance and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

Anthony Koullias, 25, 1100 block Penn Avenue, Wyomissing. He is charged with one count of possession of a controlled substance and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

Israel Perez-Lopez, 28, 100 block West Oley Street, Reading. He is charged with one count of possession of a controlled substance and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

John Doe "Domino," age unknown, address unknown. He is charged with one count of possession of a controlled substance and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

John Doe "Frankie," age unknown, address unknown. He is charged with one count of possession of a controlled substance and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

John Doe, "Ralphie," age unknown, address unknown. He is charged with one count of possession of a controlled substance and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

Jane Doe, age unknown, address unknown. She is charged with one count of possession of a controlled substance and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

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